Ukraine negotiates the release of 38 heavily wounded Azovstal defenders, Russia shells Kremenchuk oil refinery
1838: Russians shell Kremenchuk oil refinery in Poltava Oblast, governor Petro Lunin has reported.
From 8 to 12 Russian missiles hit Kremenchuk - refineries and other infrastructure. Details - later. The threat of missile strikes remains. We are not leaving the shelter!” Lunin said.
1825: Ukraine has been negotiating the release of 38 heavily wounded Ukrainian soldiers currently trapped in the Azovstal factory in Mariupol, Ukraine's reintegration Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said in a statement.
Previously Russian invaders refused to let the remaining Ukrainian defenders be evacuated from the besieged factory, where some 1000 Ukrainian servicemen are still fighting against the Russians.
Some 600 servicemen are wounded and can't get proper medical help.
1644: Heavy fighting have been going on within the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk Oblast, Ukraine's Ministry of Defense Spokesman Oleksandr Motuzyanyk said in a statement, providing the latest update from the front:
In the Donetsk Oblast, invading troops are active in the Lyman, Severodonetsk, Popasna, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, Kurakhiv and Novopavlovsk areas. Their goal is to establish control over Rubizhne and capture Lyman, Severodonetsk and Marinka.
In the Lyman direction, the enemy has focused its efforts on creating a bridgehead in the area of Bilohorivka (6 km west of Lysychansk) and are preparing an offensive on the city of Lysychansk.
To this end, the Russians are strengthening the offensive potential of its group. In the direction of Seversk, the enemy is advancing towards the Zelena Dolyna and Novoselivka villages. Fighting continues.
1438: The Ukrainian parliament has officially liquidated Ukraine's largest pro-Russian party, Opposition Platform for Life, European Solidarity Party lawmaker Oleksiy Honcharenko has reported.
Most of the collaborators in the regions, currently occupied by Russia, were representatives of the Opposition Platform for Life Party.
1215: Three people have been killed and 12 more wounded in the Russian shelling of Novhorod-Siverske, a town in Chernihiv Oblast, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine told Suspilne.
Earlier, Chernihiv Oblast governor Viacheslav Chaus reported that Russians had conducted several aerial strikes against Novhorod-Siverske.
1207: Serhiy Volynskiy, the commander of the marines defending the Azovstal steelworks, has asked Elon Musk to help evacuate Ukrainian soldiers from Mariupol.
He described his appeal as a cry of desperation.
Today, G7 ministers meet for a summit in Germany, where they will discuss the situation in Ukraine. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is scheduled to speak during the proceedings.
Russia has suffered heavy losses in Kharkiv Oblast, where Ukrainians have been counterattacking for several days in a row. Russians have begun to withdraw their forces from the region, the UK Defense Ministry has reported. In Luhansk Oblast, the occupiers have been trying to ford the Siversky Donets River. Ukrainian forces have destroyed two more pontoon crossings in the last two days.
Overnight Russians shelled Novhorod-Siversky, a city in Chernihiv Oblast, the local government reported.
"Tonight the Russians conducted several air strikes on critical infrastructure," Chernihiv governor Viacheslav Chaus said.
"These are schools. Other administrative buildings and private houses were also damaged. There are dead and wounded,"
On the southern front, Ukrainian forces elminated 23 Russian soldiers and four armored vehicles over the last 24 hours, Operational Command South has reported.
In Kherson Oblast, Ukrainians destroyed a Russian ammunition depot.
Read also: Russians try to stop the Ukrainian advance in Kharkiv, and send Mariupol residents to prison camps
Viacheslav Gladkov, governor of Russia's Belgorod Oblast, has accused the Armed Forces of Ukraine of shelling of Solokhy village. He claimed one person was killed and six wounded in the attack. Ukrainian forces did not confirm the claims.
